Pittsburgh-based folk artist Lounna has a new album coming out this week. “Garden For Winter” has what she calls a “badass grandma” vibe full of warm sound and powerful, personal lyrics that deal with grief, healing, and living life intentionally.
Lounna recently spoke with WYEP's Joey Spehar.

What’s your musical history up to this point?
I loved singing from the time I was a little girl. When I was 12, I bought my first guitar after discovering Taylor Swift. I began writing my own songs almost immediately, but took a small break directly after high school because I lost the mental momentum and creativity for it.
In my early 20s, I began diving into the discographies of some modern indie folk artists and was inspired to write again. I started performing at a local open mic, which helped me to build confidence in my music. Then I produced and released my debut album "When I'm Home" in 2022, which was a collection of songs written between 2018-2021.
My debut was quirky, folksy, very DIY and fitting for my life at that point. In early 2023, I met and began working with Westmoreland County producer Daniel Blake who helped bring my sophomore record to life in the studio. After doing everything fully alone prior, it was an enlightening experience to sit with another creative and bounce ideas off each other. As a side project, we also completely re-produced my debut, and it was released in August 2024 as "When I'm Home (Again)."
We finalized my sophomore album last spring, but I made the decision to postpone release until my husband was finished with his cancer treatments. I'm very excited that the new album, "Garden For Winter," finally releases this Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. It is a baker's dozen of songs written from 2019-2023, which actually spans further than my debut.
How do you describe your sound?
I am steadily discovering the sound and vibe unique to Lounna. I would describe it as indie folk with touches of rock, Americana, and pop mixed in. I deemed the vibe of the new album as "badass grandma" because there just isn't quite the right category for my sound.
Tell us more about the song "Wildwoods." What inspired you to write it and what does it mean to you?
"Wildwoods" is a song that addresses the most feared reality: death; but also: intentions and purpose. The lyrics began as a journal entry a couple years ago when I was processing the grief of a miscarriage. Grief is a strange thing. I had no choice in those days but to sit and contemplate what it really is that I'm doing here. I looked at my grief and saw the truth of it: I was grieving the huge amount of love in me that had nowhere to go. And I slowly realized that my love actually had about a million places to go, and maybe my purpose is to share it willfully and intentionally, but also wildly and recklessly.
This was after my first miscarriage, but before the second one a year later and before my husband was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer in early 2024. I am only 28 but already have experienced hardships that I wish upon no one. Even still, the lessons I've learned percolated as I made my way through everything. "Garden For Winter," the new album that "Wildwoods" is from, has become incredibly personal and meaningful to me as the pure act of creating it was my safe haven during these hardships.

What was the first album that really changed your life?
I have two that mark pivotal moments in my life. "Fearless" by Taylor Swift. This I discovered when I was a pre-teen, and like most young girls, she really kickstarted my music dreams and creativity. As I grew, so did my general music tastes. I discovered "Sigh No More" by Mumford & Sons when I was in my late teens, which unleashed a deep dive into other modern indie folk and adjacent artists like Bear's Den and Gregory Alan Isakov — music that inspires my current songwriting.
Who are some other Pittsburgh artists you think more people should listen to?
I've been really fascinated by Merce Lemon and Acaciawood. Some genuine friends (but definitely not all of them) include Gabrielle Gutierrez, Reliable Child, and Lorelai Paige.
Any other super interesting things about you we should know?
In addition to music, I also enjoy several other art hobbies including crochet, painting, fiction writing, and photography. I actually have a photography business, Clover and Slate Photography, where I offer portraiture and wedding coverage. I've been utilizing these granny hobbies to the max as I make some merch for my upcoming "Garden For Winter" album release show on Jan. 31!
Personnel for "Wildwoods":
Daniel Blake: bass, drums, electric guitar, and melodica
Eric Harvey: violin
Brenna Slate: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, synth and vocals